Swimming in Weighted Sorrows
by BeautifulNightmare1993
Summary: 16 year old Scarlett Cullen has had her fair share of tragedies. Her mother left two years ago and her father recently passed in a tragic car accident. Officially an orphan, Scarlett must navigate her broken family and the return of her high-profile fashionista Aunt. Family secrets will be spilled and sometimes, the best way to heal is to re-open old wounds.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: I hate Twilight. I just thought I would put that out there first. I do, however, enjoy the characters and I wanted to try out an idea I had in my head with the characters in an alternate, human-only universe. I truly believe that in order to be a better writer, it is imperative to write on something you hate to gain perspective and hone writing skills. My old English teacher in high school drilled it into my head which is why most of my papers for her class involved "The Bell Jar" in some way. Hahaha. I also wanted to let everyone know that I will not bash the book and that this simply my creative take using Stephanie Meyer's characters. With that said, I do not own nor do I ever want to own Twilight and all original characters belong to Stephanie Meyer and company. Until next time. –B**

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 **Chapter One:**

" **Come away, O human child!**

 **To the waters and the wild**

 **With a faery, hand in hand,**

 **For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand."**

― **W.B. Yeats**

 **Brandon Bails on New York Fashion Week**

 _As I am sure my readers are already well aware, Alice Brandon is a true up-and-coming fashion icon. Alice was only seventeen when she dived headfirst into the land of Chanel, Dolce, and Gabanna and she has been turning heads in recent years by not only modeling, but by becoming a highly sought-after designer as well. The rest, as they say, is history. However, I regret that I must now crush many of your dreams by informing you that it seems Alice has taken off from New York and has already pulled her line from next month's iconic New York showing. While rumors cannot be confirmed, it seems a family tragedy happened last weekend and Alice's older brother, Dr. Edward Cullen, was involved in a fatal car accident. Their father, Carlisle Cullen, is the CEO of Cullen Enterprises and it is said that with his son's passing, Brandon will be taking over the helm as the new CEO. As the company has shareholders in a vast majority of networks, I am sure Cullen Enterprises need look no further for their debut into the fashion empire with Alice Brandon at the wheel. While the family has not spoken to the press, we offer our sincerest condolences to Alice and her family during this time of mourning. We hope to see the fashion pixie next month in New York even if she is no longer participating herself. Until then, dear readers, we will have to sustain ourselves with last month's fashion show in Milan as we all wait with baited breath for the New York Fashion Week to begin in October…_

I dropped the magazine I had been reading back into my lap and resisted the urge to tear it into little pieces. One line. One line was all that was mentioned about my father. He was a famous neurosurgeon who had saved countless lives at the Seattle Children's Neurology hospital and he was a damn good doctor. But he was only worth one line in US Weekly. One line. Everything else was about Aunt Alice. Not that it surprised me in the slightest. My Aunt was one of the most influential fashion icons in the world right now. If she left her apartment wearing a garbage bag as a dress, while some would mock her, most would end up copying her the next day. She had been on talk shows, hosted interviews, held elaborate parties at her New York apartment, and had even been asked to participate as a model in the Victoria's Secret fashion show next year. My Grandfather, Carlisle, had nearly had a heart attack when she had jokingly told him she was thinking about accepting the offer. I rolled the magazine up and began tapping it against my leg. I hated having to wait. It stressed me out. I especially hated waiting for people who should have shown up two hours ago. For having to be punctual about deadlines, my Aunt was notorious for making her family wait around for her. I sighed deeply, earning an annoyed look from my other Aunt, Rosalie. She was texting furiously on her phone as both my brother and I had given up on talking almost as soon as we sat down. My brother sat on the couch farthest away from us. He had earbuds in his ears and a White Sox baseball cap pulled almost over his eyes. His fingers moved rapidly across his PSP console and he remained completely unaware of the situation at hand. I groaned loudly as I glanced at the clock and realized only a minute had passed since the last time I had glanced at it. We were at my grandparent's home in Forks, Washington as it was the only space big enough for all of us to be comfortable. Alice had requested meeting here to go over my father's paperwork and his will and the rest of the family had agreed besides me. I had protested driving all the way from Seattle but Alice had insisted and what Alice wanted, Aunt Alice got.

"Did you read this yet, Aunt Rose?" I asked, holding up the still rolled magazine. Rose looked up from her phone and shook her head no. I scoffed.

"One line about dad. The rest about Aunt Alice; fashion guru of first world nations." I said, sarcasm dripping off of my every word. Rose gave me one of her famous glares. She was already upset about my dad but she had had to cope with her teenage, sarcastic niece and autistic nephew since last Friday. She was sure to crack soon from the pressure.

"Don't." she warned, "I know you hate the world right now but don't you dare take it out on your Aunt. She doesn't write those articles and she reads them even less than you do." With that, she resumed texting on her phone, a crease appearing between her eyebrows.

I shot her a glare of my own but kept my mouth shut. I ran a hand through my long hair and then grimaced. I couldn't remember the last time I had taken a shower and I was still wearing the clothes I had put on two days ago. Worn Converses, faded jeans, ripped softball t-shirt, and my ex-boyfriend's track hoodie completed my attire. My Aunt Alice would have a fit when she saw me. To say I was on edge would be an understatement. My father had been driving his beloved car to L.A. for some type of work conference when he was struck by another vehicle and crashed into a utility pole. There was nothing the E.R. could do, as it was already too late by the time the ambulance had arrived on the scene. My father, the best neuro-surgeon in Seattle, had been pronounced brain dead before even arriving at the hospital. I had been babysitting my twin cousins as well as my brother, Mason, when my Aunt Rosalie had gotten the call about the accident. My father's funeral was not for another two days as there were people flying from all around the world to be there but I was not sure if my mind was mentally prepared for that day yet. I drummed my fingers on the arm rest and sighed again. My little cousins had been told to give me wide berth since that fateful day which meant I could not even count on them to serve as a distraction. I felt like a ticking time bomb. The only one who would put up with me right now was my Aunt Rose because she matched each of my snarky responses with a well-timed come back. Abruptly, I stood and walked over to the window. Rain streaked the window panes, which happened quite often in Seattle. It seemed fitting that the world outside was falling apart but I had yet to break down. I pulled my long hair into a messy pony-tail as I looked over my shoulder at Mason. He hated storms but with his headphones in, he couldn't hear the thunder. I knew my family was worried that we had not reacted to the news yet. It worried the rest of our family that we could compartmentalize like that but it was something we had always done. Push down the feelings until they don't hurt anymore. Mason had not reacted to the news at all except to ask when Dad was going to be home to play the piano. He had thrown a tantrum until I made a copy of a CD called Bella's Lullaby that had Dad playing many of our favorite songs on the piano for his Ipod. I was pretty sure he listened to it on repeat but at least he had stopped throwing things. I sighed again, drawing my Aunt's attention away from her phone.

"It's already past two. Is she waiting for a handwritten invitation?" I wondered aloud. Rose's eyes flashed fire at that one.

"Knock it off, Scarlett. I am warning you now. Do not go after your Aunt Alice. It was not her fault. It was no-one's fault!" she practically shouted at the end. As if speaking louder would cause me to instantly believe her. My grandmother, Esme, walked in from the kitchen. I turned towards the window, unable to look at either of them. I could see Mason in the reflection of the window pull his headphones out of his ears, look around, and pop them back in. He would need a haircut soon. His hair was so shaggy, it was practically in his eyes.

"I heard yelling from the other room. What is going on in here, Rose?" she spoke to my Aunt but I saw her watching me out of the corner of my eye. They began speaking in hushed tones but I tuned it out. I clenched and unclenched my fists as I tried to peer through the rain. It was coming down in buckets now.

I wanted to go home to Seattle. It was a Tuesday afternoon so Dad would have the day off. He would be playing the piano while I would be curled up in the window seat with a blanket and my sketch pad. Mason would not have his headphones on and would be sitting near the piano, face filled with wonder as my dad smoothly transitioned from one song to the next. After Mason went to bed, Dad would have a cup of coffee with me as we talked about school, life, or any dilemma going on in either of our lives. He would tease me about becoming the next CEO of Cullen Enterprises and I would laugh and bring up art schools across the country instead. I swallowed the lump in my throat and roughly shook my head to erase the memories. My Uncle had had to practically drag me into the car this morning so we would get here on time. The fact we were here to read my father's last will and testament before he was even properly buried had me seeing red but there was nothing I could do about it. My grandfather had been a lawyer when he was young and knew how imperative it was to figure out all of my father's assets, trusts, and stocks so that Cullen Enterprises would continue to operate smoothly. I ignored it all. I just didn't care anymore. After a few minutes of hushed whispering, I felt my grandmother approach me near the windows and tentatively hug me from behind.

"I am so sorry, Scarlett. You and your bother should not have to be here for this but we did not want to leave you two home alone right now. Your Aunt Alice texted Aunt Rose a few minutes ago and said she would be here soon." She tried to keep hugging me but I resisted and took a step forward. She let go with a sad smile. I dropped the discarded magazine on the couch, tapped my brother's shoulder, and left the room. It had become too claustrophobic and I needed space to breathe. I had to pass the entry way to climb the stairs but as I walked by the front door opened, blasting rain water onto the white tile. I tried to duck back down the hall but I had already been spotted.

"Scarlett!" My Aunt Alice exclaimed.

"I can't believe how tall you have gotten. No wonder you are the lead spiker on your volleyball team." She continued speaking even as I began tuning her out. She was wearing five inch heels which explained why we were almost eye-level. At five-foot-seven, I easily dwarfed her even if she was only five-foot-one. Her pixie hair cut was plastered to her head by the rain. I couldn't tell if her mascara was running from the rain or her crying and I honestly didn't care. She reached out to hug me but I took a step back and glanced at the stranger that was following her inside. She threw me a hurt look before stepping out of the way and closing the door. The man was tall and lean. His blonde hair was cropped short but it looked like it would curl if it was longer. His movements were graceful but honed and I felt myself stand up straighter in his presence. Spotting me, he stuck his hand out and introduced himself.

"Hello there, you must be Scarlett Cullen. My name is Jasper Whitlock. While I wish we could have met under different circumstances, I have heard a lot about you. You are your Aunt Alice's favorite niece after all." He chuckled. I stared at his hand but made no move to shake it. Alice's wounded look turned into a frown but Jasper did not look upset at all. My father would have been so pissed at my lack of manners but I couldn't bring myself to shake his hand. I heard a throat clear behind me and stepped out of my grandfather's way. He walked over and shook the hand Jasper still held out.

"Thank you for coming, Jasper. I am sure Alice appreciates your support as much as we do. Please, both of you, follow me, before we all catch a chill." He said nothing to me as he led Jasper and Alice down the hall. Alice turned and gave me a quizzical look. I couldn't hold her gaze and looked away.

Once the coast was clear, I carefully climbed the stairs, avoiding the ones that creaked, and went to the spare bathroom on the third level. I locked the door and cracked open the window. Once I was sure no-one had followed me, I grabbed one of the cigarettes I had stashed in the curtain rod that morning and lit it with a lighter I found under the sink for the scented candles. I puffed away and checked my phone for messages. I replied to a few from my friends and accepted a Facebook invitation to Tristan Gould's party next weekend. God knows I would need the alcohol to numb me up. My dad would have killed me if he had caught me smoking, as well as lecturing me on all the health risks associated with it, but he had always been working. Besides, who would have ever guessed that I had a few bad habits when I kept up a 3.5 average, played three sports for my school, and was a member of my school's Art Club. I contemplated sneaking out of the house now that Alice was here but there were too many people walking around and I was sure to be caught out. My five year old cousins loved to tattle for candy which my Aunt Rose had not been above using this week in order to find out what I had done. I lost track of time as I sat on the edge of the tub and puffed away on my second cigarette. Someone knocked gently on the door and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

"Scarlett? Are you in there? We need you downstairs, please." I took a deep breath, forgetting the cigarette in my mouth and nearly doubled over coughing. These cigs were stronger than what I was used to. I let loose a string of curse words under my breath as I realized my Aunt Alive was the one who had come to fetch me.

"Yeah, okay. I'll be right down, thanks." I called out. I waited until I heard her footsteps recede down the hall before I flicked the butts out the open window, sprayed some perfume on me and in the air, turned on the fan, and stashed the lighter in my pocket. Once I was sure I didn't smell like smoke, I left the bathroom and headed down the stairs. The hall had grown darker as the storm drew closer. As I turned on the landing and walked down the hall, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me inside a bedroom.

"What the fu…Oh, hey Aunt Alice." I mumbled instead. I looked pointedly at my arm until she let go. She shut the door and leaned against it, leveling me with a look. I bristled at the fact I was stuck in a small room with her until she moved.

"I was about to head downstairs so we could look at my dad's will and fight over who gets the summer house and what-not. Care to join me?" I asked between gritted teeth.

"Really Scarlett? I haven't talked to you in months and this is the welcome I get? First, you refuse to acknowledge my fiancée and now you're going to crack jokes to me about your father's death? Not to mention the fact I caught you smoking in your grandparent's house." She crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow, waiting for my reply. The gears turned in my head as I tried to bluff my way out of it.

"That wasn't cigarette smoke you smelled. It was that nasty potpourri shit that is in all the bathrooms, Aunt Alice." I decided to tackle that one first as it seemed like the easiest argument I could win. No one would believe I smoked and had been doing so for over a year. I was excellent at hiding it. She scowled at me.

"Do you honestly think I am that stupid, Scarlett? You may have sprayed some perfume but I can still smell it. I also heard you coughing your lungs out in the bathroom. You probably have a lighter in your pocket and stashed your cigarettes around the house. But…that doesn't explain your attitude problem towards me or my fiancée." She finished the last part softly. Trying to put me at ease. I shrugged.

"My therapist says that it takes me a while to warm up to people and that others should be patient with me as my coping skills for uncomfortable situations are severely lacking." I had been left alone in my therapist's office for ten minutes last month and I had taken the time to read my file he had left laying out. It was interesting to see what he thought of me after almost a year of therapy and I took enjoyment out of directly quoting him during arguments. To her credit, Alice simply rolled her eyes and took a step towards me, holding out her arms.

"We used to be so close, Scarlett. You would call me all the time to tell me about your day or beg me to come visit you. I knew everything about you. I didn't even get pictures of you from your first homecoming last year. I had to ask Rose to send me some. What happened to us, Scar?" My eyes flew to her face to see if she truly did not know why I was so close to losing it and falling off the edge.

"Haven't you heard? I use sarcasm and witty retorts to keep people away. It helps mask my insecurities and hang ups when I am able to control the situation. And it especially pisses me off to have to wait around for some people to finally decide to show up two hours late to something they planned in the first place." I rattled off my therapist's latest notes I had peeked at and even turned the situation back on her to see if she would rise to the bait. She only scoffed at my response, her dark blue eyes growing darker as she got more upset.

"I had a little chat with your Aunt Rose on the way here. Apparently, you have been wanting to have it out with me for a while. Even before your father's accident. Rose told me to leave it alone but I want to know. What exactly did I ever do to you to make you so angry with me, Scarlett Alyssa Cullen?" So that was who Aunt Rose had been texting. Figures. She tried to taunt me with my full name and it instantly made me see red as she knew damn well my middle name was simply a play on her own name. I clenched my fists and took a step backwards, calming myself.

"I have better things to do than have this conversation with you." I smirked as she began to frown.

"You are not leaving this room until we finish this discussion. Just answer the question. Why are you so upset with me?" she asked, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was an eerily similar mannerism that my father used to do when he was particularly upset and it took me a minute to compose myself.

"Last I checked, you are not my mother. And as you have stated we haven't spoken in months so why should I even be talking to you now?" I spat back, glaring daggers. Her face betrayed her hurt as she cautiously took a step forward.

"Is that what this is about, Scarlett? Are we talking about your mother?" she asked carefully.

"Stop it." I warned, "You have no idea what you are talking about." I crossed my arms and glanced away, too angry to look at her.

"Just tell me why are you upset and I will let you leave." She countered, reaching out to take my hand. I shook her off and retreated a step but she followed me.

"Let me in, Scarlett. Tell me what is going on or so help me I will ask Mason what your problem is." She threatened. That was the last straw. She was not going to badger my brother who barely liked talking in the first place to find out why I was so pissed at her.

"Fine!" I shouted. "I hate that everywhere I look I have to see your damn face or hear about you. Everything is always about Alice Brandon. I hate that my friends are obsessed with you when you could give a damn about your own family. I hate that you ran off right after my mom did and not once have you brought her up again. I hate that only reason you are even here is to figure out what to do with Cullen Enterprises and you wanted input on something you didn't fucking want in the first place. I hate that my dad is fucking dead and the last conversation I had was arguing with him about you. I hate that you broke your promise to me and it doesn't even faze you. I hate you, Alice!" My screams had turned into sobs halfway through my tirade and I wasn't sure exactly how much she understood. She must have heard enough because her face crumpled and tears fell that she made no effort to wipe away.

"You broke your promise." I sobbed as I wiped furiously at my eyes to stem the tears.

"You said you wouldn't leave but you did it anyway. You just walked away. Everyone always leaves." I choked out as my voice broke. Alice had slowly fallen to the ground and held her knees as she cried. I fumbled for the door handle blindly as my tears made it hard to see clearly. Alice made no move to stop me as I finally got the door open and went downstairs. I nearly ran into my Aunt Rosalie in my haste to get away from Alice.

"I can't believe you told her!" she hissed, but she allowed me to pass by unscathed as she hurried up the stairs to be of some comfort where I had left a destroyed Alice in her place. I passed Jasper who had taken a seat in the living room next to Mason who still played his game, oblivious to the drama around him. Jasper was frowning at me and for the first time I noted the military tags tucked into his shirt.

"She loves you so much, Scarlett. I just figured you should know that." He called out to me as I headed to the kitchen. I pulled on my rain boots I had carelessly tossed when we had arrived and grabbed my jacket from the hook under the solemn gazes of my cousins and grandmother.

"You were yelling inside." My cousin, Henry, stated from his spot at the table. "Yelling inside is breaking a rule."

"She said bad words too." My other cousin, Nicholas, pointed out as he nibbled at his chocolate chip cookie. "Bad words are not for ladies or gentleman." He said with a frown on his face.

"Hush, little ones." My grandmother said, "Let your cousin be." She gave me a worried look but did not ask me what happened which I was grateful for.

"I'm going to go for a walk to get some fresh air." I said. My voice was unusually rough due to my tears. My grandma stood up but did not take a step towards me.

"Scarlett, it is pouring outside." She answered calmly. "Why don't we all settle down and talk everything over?" She looked close to tears herself and I knew if I saw my grandma cry again that I would break down. I fastened my coat and took a shuddering breath.

"It's alright, Mom. I will walk with her." My Uncle Emmet stepped into the kitchen from the garage, already wearing his own jacket. He gave Esme a hug and whispered something in her ear.

"Let's go kid." He said to me, grabbing my elbow and gently steering me out the back door. I pulled my hood up as we began to walk around the side of the house and down the driveway. I didn't want to talk and was glad my Uncle didn't push it. The drive way was about a mile long and about halfway down I finally broke my silence.

"Thanks for walking with me, Uncle Emmett. You can head back if you like. I want to walk to the end of the drive and back." I tried to muster up a smile so he would know I was okay but he looked right through it.

"I'm not falling for it, Scarlett. You are hurting so bad, kid, and you don't even know it anymore." He said with a sad shake of his head.

"That's why dad pays for all the therapy…paid." I tried to pass it off as a joke but realized I used the wrong tense and angrily kicked a pile of leaves that fallen during the storm. Emmett stuck his hands in his pockets.

"What did you say to Alice, Scar?" he asked gently, switching the subject to a less sensitive topic.

"I don't want to talk about it." I muttered. I went to step away from him but he held my shoulder, effectively keeping me in place at his side.

"Hurting people, hurt people, Scarlett." He said simply. I furrowed my eyebrows at him

"Did you get that from a fortune cookie?" I answered sarcastically. His wink had me throwing my hands up in the air.

"Am I not allowed to be upset? Or angry? Or hurt?" I exclaimed. "No-one said a word when Mason didn't react. Everyone is so worried that I will freak out again like I did when Mom left that you guys treat me like I am already broken." I snap back. He rubbed the back of his neck and stared off at the end of the drive.

"You could have died, Scarlett. We all care about you so much and the last thing we want is to see you purposefully hurt yourself again. As for Mason, he is in his own world. He barely reacts if you say his name, Scar. We all process grief differently but you can't lash out and blame people, especially your Aunt Alice. She has done so much for you. Don't give her up because you are angry at the world." Emmett made sure to look me in the eyes as he finished his speech. I had started crying again and the rain had mixed with my tears.

"I want to go home." I whispered. "My home." In case he thought I meant my grandparent's house. Emmett sighed.

"Okay, kid. We have to go back and finish that paperwork. I promise to take you home for a few hours afterwards. Let's head back before we turn into fish." He said with a slight grin. I smiled weakly at the joke and we turned around to head back to the house.

Inside, the atmosphere was chilly and it had nothing to do with the weather outside. My Aunt Rosalie was glaring daggers at me and the look on Jasper's face sent shivers running up my spine. I had royally screwed up this time. Ignoring the looks, I kicked off my boots and hung my jacket up.

"Mason is playing video games with Henry and Nicholas so I believe this is a good time to go over the paperwork." Esme spoke as she entered the room. If she noticed the tension, she ignored it and simply stared at everyone in turn. Jasper was the first to leave the room followed quickly by Rosalie and then Emmett. He was the only one to acknowledge me and simply ruffled my wet hair as he walked out of the room. Esme gestured to me.

"Scarlett? Please, the others are waiting." She spoke softly.

"I'll be there. Just give me a minute…please." I mumbled. I couldn't look at anything besides the hardwood floor right now. She nodded and gave me a small half-smile.

"Alright." She gave me a hug before leaving me in the kitchen alone. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. I counted to a hundred before I stuck my hands in my pockets and slowly shuffled from the room. I assumed we would all be meeting in my grandfather's office and I found my assumptions to be correct when I pushed open the door and discovered the rest of my family sans the younger children. Grandpa Carlisle sat behind his paper-strewn desk and Grandma Esme stood next to him, half-leaning into him. Aunt Rose perched on the arm of the love seat with Uncle Emmet sitting next to her, one hand on her thigh. Jasper leaned against the wall, arms folded. Normally, I would have made a comment about this being for family only but my voice barely wanted to work to swallow the lump of tears that refused to go away. Aunt Alice sat in the remaining chair, eyes downcast. She didn't flinch when I walked passed her and took a seat on the end table next to Uncle Emmett. Carlisle cleared his throat.

"Now, that we are all here, let's try our best to make it through all of this. If it becomes too much for anyone, we can take a break and resume. The first part that I will go over is Edward's stocks." His voice broke saying my dad's name and I swore I heard my grandmother whimper. Alice hunched her shoulders in further but kept quiet. I really looked at my grandfather. He seemed to have aged ten years in less than a week. Gone was my calm but confident grandfather who did everything with perfect precision and grace. Now, his hands trembled holding the files and his words sounded forced. Once we all had a good idea of my dad's stocks and how they would be distributed, we moved on to number his assets. I tuned out most of the conversation and only listened when I heard my dad's piano mentioned.

"Where would his piano go?" I interrupted. Carlisle put the file down and stared at me.

"What do you mean, Scarlett?" he asked gently.

"Did Dad make plans for his piano?" I said, unable to look at him. My grandfather sighed.

"I am unsure if he did or not. Is it something that you want?" he asked. I shook my head and worried at my bottom lip with my teeth.

"I only know a handful of songs but Mason loves it. Do you think it would be possible to bring it here? It would fit in the living room near the back windows. The acoustics for that room are nearly perfect and the piano already matches the furniture. Then, Mason and I can play when we visit. I just don't want it going to a museum or being sold or donated. I know that makes me selfish but it is my dad's piano. I want it to stay in the family, please." I realized I had been rambling and quickly shut my mouth. Esme gave me a watery smile.

"I think that is a wonderful idea." She said, "I never realized but the furniture already matches and we do have the space for it. I don't know anything about the acoustics but if that is something that you want, then I will be sure to make it happen." Uncle Emmet squeezed my shoulder.

"Way to contribute." He stage-whispered. I gave him a quick smile.

"Thanks, Uncle Emmett." He squeezed my shoulder again before dropping his hand. I noticed Alice had looked up from the floor and was now staring at me but the expression on her face was unreadable.

"If that is everything to discuss, it is time to read Edward's last will and testament." Carlisle began, "I want everyone to know that while I was my son's lawyer, he made all of the decisions himself." Everyone nodded before he continued. Once again, I tuned my grandfather out as he began reading out loud. I didn't want to know who got our house or how much my trust fund would be. All I wanted was my dad back, anything else was inconsequential. I really must have zoned out because I suddenly heard a gasp and Aunt Rose say a word that would have cost her a dollar if her children had heard. I looked around the room and found that everyone was now staring at me.

"What?" I asked irritatingly. I knew I had missed something and judging by everyone's reactions it wasn't going to be good. Carlisle cleared his throat again and re-read the passage.

"Finally, I would like to discuss my children. Both Scarlett and Mason will receive a monthly allowance as well as the amount as mentioned earlier that will be submitted to their trust fund. They will have access to it when they turn 21 and it will safely be held under my parent's ownership until they become of age. As for guardianship, I would like my brother Emmett McCarty and sister-in-law Rosalie Hale McCarty to take over as guardians for my son, Mason. His special needs require him to have a stable environment and as they live in the same town as my parents, his schedule will not overly change. As for Scarlett, I have decided to name my other sister, Alice Brandon, as her guardian. Scarlett has not coped well since the incident involving her mother and I know that it is quite possible that Scarlett will act out after my passing as well. I believe that staying with my sister and a change of scenery will help her flourish." While Carlisle had finished and began to read the second paragraph explaining my father's decision in more detail, my head swiveled to my Aunt who looked just as shocked as I was. In that moment, I knew I was unconditionally and irrevocably screwed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: So I had an idea that this story would only be about twenty or so chapters but after drafting it out and researching I can already tell that this story will be quite a bit longer than I had originally anticipated. I have no idea how many words each chapter will contain but this second chapter contains almost 7.5K words so I hope people don't mind reading long chapters. Also, I realized that Twilight came out in 2005 so I am relying on my memory of the book from almost eleven years ago. I have had to research (read: pester my baby sister who is still obsessed with Twilight) many of the minor characters so please bear with me and correct me if I spell any of the names wrong in the upcoming chapters. Once again, thank you for reading. Until next time. -B**

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Chapter Two

" **Solitude has soft, silky hands, but with strong fingers it grasps the heart and makes it ache with sorrow."**

― **Kahlil Gibran**

I opened and closed my mouth a few times, lost for words. Alice would be my guardian? I didn't even have a choice? I was going to have to live with Alice? The one person in this entire world that I couldn't stand and I would be stuck with her for the next two years until my 18th birthday? Karma was seriously a bitch sometimes. I looked around the room but it seemed that most of my family was just as shocked as I was.

"Do you really think this is a good idea, Carlisle?" Rosalie said from her seat on the couch. Carlisle pinched the bridge of his nose between his fore-finger and thumb. It was obviously a distinct, family mannerism.

"It doesn't matter what I or anyone else thinks. This is what Edward chose and we need to respect his wishes." His voice was calm but firm. I simply scoffed and began to lightly kick the end table with the heel of my shoe.

"Something you would like to contribute?" Rose asked, raising one eyebrow. I scowled at her.

"So it was bad enough that my family is already broken but now Dad wants Mason and me living in different places? He just completely splintered it." I said, running my hands through my hair. I heard Esme gasp and knew I struck a nerve. If Rosalie's eyes could shoot lightning bolts, I would already be fried to a crisp at this point.

"Your brother needs to have as much of his daily routine and home life to stay as unchanged as possible. He needs that stability and structure. You, on the other hand, need a fresh start. And to get the hell out of Seattle before you end up doing something stupid." I crossed my arms and glared at her.

"What could I possibly do that would be so stupid?" I wondered out loud as she smirked.

"Are you forgetting what happened two years ago so soon?" I uncrossed my arms and clenched my fists.

"Shut up!" I shouted at her and watched her eyes widen in surprise.

"Do not speak to your Aunt like that again, Scarlett." Carlisle warned.

"Rosie, that was uncalled for. Edward said she has been doing well." Emmett tried to interject but Rosalie and I were already glaring daggers at each other and we both ignored him.

"She has been doing much better, Rosalie. And she completed her community service. You can't keep holding it over her head. That isn't fair." Esme spoke softly but everyone turned to her to listen.

"Besides. It was two years ago. If you seriously think I am the same person I was at fourteen than maybe you should be the one seeing a therapist twice a week. Not me." I interjected. I always did have to have the last word. Rosalie growled something unintelligible and took a step towards me. Esme hurried from around the desk and placed herself in between us.

"That is enough! I am not listening to any more bickering or drama tonight. Rose, control your temper. And Scarlett, control your tongue!" I resisted the urge to stick it out but just barely. Peering around my grandmother, I noticed that Alice was still in a daze, staring at the floor. I doubted she had even been listening to Rose and I snap back and forth at one another.

"How soon would this guardianship become official, Grandpa?" It was something I was generally curious about. Carlisle cleared his throat.

"The funeral is in two days. I would say everything should be in order by next Wednesday which is when Alice would officially become your guardian." He said thoughtfully.

"Great," I muttered, "I get a week to change my entire life."

"Actually, we have to be back in New York City on Monday so you have about five days." Jasper spoke up from his position against the far wall and I jumped at the sound of his voice. I had forgotten he was even in the room. I rolled my eyes at him.

"What do you mean by 'we'?" I asked him slowly. Jasper simply leveled me with a look.

"Well seeing as how Alice would be your guardian, I am assuming you would have to live with her. Alice and I live in New York City so you would be joining us there." He drawled in that Southern accent of his. My mouth dropped open again.

"You can't be serious? I am a Seattle girl! I love storms, and coffee, and the Seahawks and Nirvana! I've lived here my entire life and now you want me to suddenly move across the country? This sucks!" I was practically yelling at this point. Jasper simply shrugged one shoulder but I did see Alice flinch in her seat. She hadn't moved otherwise except to graduate from looking at the floor to looking out the rain-streaked windows.

"So I have to give up my friends, my family, my school and my sports just because you guys are too selfish to stay in Seattle?" I was fuming now. Esme put a hand on my arm.

"Scarlett, I know that there has been a lot that has happened the past week but you need to calm down. It will upset Mason if he hears yelling." She gave me a pointed look and I managed to somehow take in deep breaths of air and calm myself.

"I am not moving to New York City." I warned but Jasper simply stared at me, silently calling my bluff and I was unable to hold his gaze. Rose picked up her cell phone that lay discarded on the couch besides her and gave me an Ice-Queen glare.

"If we have covered everything that was needed to be discussed, then Emmett and I are going to go check on the boys. They have been alone for far too long. I trust that you four can handle the acting-out teenager." And with another pointed look at me she tossed her long, blonde hair over her shoulder and stalked from the room as I fumed in my seat. Emmett stood as well and gave me one of his famous bear hugs.

"Everything will be okay, Red. Your Aunt Rosie is hurting too." He whispered into my ear. I pushed him off and scowled at the nick-name as he left the room as well. Esme tentatively hugged me as well before crossing the room and bending down to hug her daughter, who had been the only one to remain quiet the entire time. Slowly, Alice moved her arms mechanically and hugged her mother back. She was soon clinging to her as Esme began whispering in her ear. Carlisle walked around his desk and put a hand on Alice's shoulder. Jasper stood behind his fiancée and watched intently. No one noticed as I lightly jumped off the end table and the left the room. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and checked my messages.

 _What's your poison at my party, Princess? –Tristan_

I smirked to myself and typed out Cherry-flavored Dr. McGillicuddys before sending it and thrusting my phone back into my pocket. Tristan was one of the richest boys at my school and his parents doted on their only child. They tended to act more like his friends than his parents and his parties were always a hit with plenty of alcohol and minimal adult-supervision. I had grown up a lot over the past two years but I had also had two years of practice sneaking out my house and hiding my hangovers. My father had assumed that weekly therapy and my efforts in school had "cured" me of all my freshmen year mishaps and habits I had picked up but it only taught me how to get away with more teenage antics than ever before. Tristan's party was just the send-off I would need seeing as how it was looking to be my last party in Seattle for a while.

I wandered into the family room and found my Uncle Emmett and Mason sprawled out on the floor playing Call of Duty: Black Ops II. I watched for a bit as my brother easily killed our Uncle's character no less than five times. Mason loved this game but few people were willing to play it with him for hours at a time. Uncle Emmett loved video games and this was usually how they both ended up spending time together. After watching my Uncle die a third time from a head-shot with a sniper rifle, I finally spoke up.

"Hey, Uncle Em. Since everyone is done with the meeting, do you mind driving me to Seattle? I need to pick up some more of mine and Mason's clothes and you did promise to take me for a few hours." He shot me a guilty look.

"I almost forgot about that. Give me ten minutes and you and I can head out." I nodded and sat on the couch, pulling my phone back out.

 _Sounds good. Can't wait to see you_ _-Tristan_

I sighed. Tristan was an attractive senior and member of our school's lacrosse and baseball team. I knew he had a crush on me but I didn't know how to tell him that I only showed up to his parties for the free booze. With everything going on in my personal life, I was not about to add a boyfriend to the mix. I noticed I had a text from my best friend, Piper Lopez, and decided to answer that one first. I was so lost in thought while she and I texted that I didn't pay attention to the entryway into the family room. When I finally glanced up, I noticed that Alice was leaning against the doorframe, giving me a sad smile. I was trapped.

"Hey Scarlett. I was wondering if you wanted to talk to me about this whole guardianship thing. I know it's stressful for you but I truly think you will love New York City." She took a hesitant step into the room and I saw Mason reach for his headphones on the ground next to him to place them on his head. Mason's sensitivity to noises could be directly correlated to my outbursts and even he knew that having Alice and I in the same room would lead to yelling. I took a breath and slowly released it.

"No, I'm good. Uncle Emmett and I were just about to head out, actually." I said with a fake smile.

"Oh? Where are you going?" she asked curiously.

"Just around Seattle. I have a couple errands to run." I tried to answer vaguely but I should have known that even my Uncle would call me out on purposely trying to avoid her.

"I promised to take her home for a few hours." He said bluntly, never turning his gaze away from the flickering screen. Alice nodded and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Maybe I could come with? I haven't seen your new house yet." she asked hopefully. I stifled a groan. It figures that she would want to see the house now that we would be selling it and I would be forced to move to New York City with her.

"Sure, Alice. You can come with." Emmett answered for me when it became obvious that I wasn't going to reply.

"It's lasagna night." My brother said clearly. He rarely spoke but when he did I made sure to listen. I stood from my seat and crouched down next to him.

"Grandma Esme is making lasagna? That sounds good." I answered and he nodded enthusiastically.

"Do you want to stay here for dinner then?" I asked and once again I got a head nod.

"I want to play with Uncle Emmett." He said firmly. Uh oh. When my brother got that tone, he had to have his way or a tantrum was inevitable. I tried to appease him.

"Uncle Emmett promised to take me home so I can grab some more of our stuff. Don't you want some more PSP games and your charger?" He shook his head.

"No. Uncle Emmett said he would play with me for an hour. It's only been ten minutes." I mentally cursed myself for teaching him how to tell time all those years ago. If Uncle Emmett said he would play for an hour then you could count on my brother to know exactly how long it took and not one minute less.

"But if we don't leave now then it will be dark by the time we even get to Seattle. Please, can Uncle Emmett and I leave now?" I tried pleading with him even though it very rarely worked.

"No!" Mason exclaimed. He began to frown and I could almost see a time bomb clock counting down to his outburst. Alice kneeled down next to Mason's other side.

"Why don't I take Scarlett and you can stay here and play with Uncle Emmett? I will text him when we get to the house and ask you what you want me to grab. Then, you get to eat lasagna for dinner tonight along with homemade garlic bread." Mason thought about it while I gritted my teeth.

"Okay." Both my Aunt and I released our breath at appeasing Mason's temper. He had been taking the changes to his schedule the past week extremely hard and had resorted to tantrums if he felt his schedule was slipping out of his grasp. Emmett looked at me sheepishly.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett." He said, "I'll make sure to save you some lasagna though. I know it is your favorite." I gave him a quick smile before I left the room but we both knew it was fake.

"Let me grab my boots and the house keys. I'll be right back." I said to Alice as I left the room. I jogged into the kitchen and grabbed my rain jacket and boots that were still dripping water from the earlier shower I had walked out in. As an afterthought, I grabbed an umbrella from the front hall closet as well. I ran up the steps and into the guest bedroom on the second floor. My wallet, house keys, and phone charger were stuffed into my pockets as well as a pair of earbuds. I checked my boot to make sure my BIC lighter was still inside before making my way down the stairs and to the entryway. Alice was waiting near the front door, already wearing her own jacket and mindlessly twirling her car keys around her fingers.

"Alice and I will be back later!" I yelled into the house before opening the door and stepping out onto the porch. I quickly pulled on my jacket before racing towards her rental car. I was happy to see that she had left her Porsche 911 in New York City. With how fast she likes to drive combined with the bad weather and slippery roads, I really did not want to have to re-enact my father's accident any more than what I already pictured in my head and nightmares.

The rental car was a sensible Chrysler 300 with tinted windows, built-in Bluetooth, and a back-up camera but the only thing that mattered to me was how fast I could get the hot air to blast out of the vents and onto my already shivering body. The drive was quiet as we left Forks behind. Alice flipped between a few stations on the radio and gave me couple glances but I was content to say nothing at all. I didn't feel like continuing what we had started at the house and I knew being trapped in a small space with Alice was not the best way for us to communicate right now. I was still furious with her and didn't understand why she was trying so hard when we both knew she was only doing it because she felt guilty about my father. Once we entered Seattle, I gave her clipped directions on how to get to my house. She parked alongside the curb and I almost mentioned she needed to pull up farther so that my dad's car could fit as well before I remembered. Swallowing the painful lump in my throat, I bit my lip and got out of the car. I didn't wait for Alice to follow but made my way up the walk-way and to the front door of the two-story brownstone.

"I always thought your dad would move you guys to Chicago into one of the brownstones he had lived in as a child. He always did love that city." I almost snorted at her choice of small talk but managed to keep it together.

"Dad liked Seattle a lot but mostly because it was close to Forks. He didn't want to abandon our family." I saw Alice wince as if I had hit her and a small kernel of guilt wedged itself into my heart. I unlocked the doors and entered the place I had called home for the past two years. Our house had been built during the roaring twenties and both Dad and I had a soft spot for the old-fashioned molding, hand-crafted wooden banisters, and slightly slanted floors. They didn't make houses like ours anymore.

I placed the keys in the glass bowl next to the front door and walked into the living room. Alice followed me and I recalled that she had never seen our house before. I gave her a quick tour of the lower level before I climbed the stairs and showed her the rest of the house. I pointedly did not open the first door on the left and I think she understood that it had been my father's room. I showed her Mason's room first and opened his closet to grab a few outfits. Even at thirteen years old, he was better organized than I was. I inhaled sharply as I picked out the tuxedo hidden near the back of his closet. He had worn it exactly once when Dad had taken us to the Opera in the Spring. He spent the whole night complaining that his tie was choking him until the music started and he stared in awe at the orchestra for the rest of the show. Alice looked at me with sympathy in her eyes. I swallowed the lump in my throat and threw the tux on the bed along with three more outfits. I didn't need her pity. I didn't want her to see me bawl my eyes out. Ever since our yelling match earlier, I felt like I was balancing on a cliff and would break down at any moment. Alice opened her mouth to say something but I left the room before she could. I heard her sigh behind me and she followed me down the hall to a door that was slightly ajar.

"And this is my room." I mumbled, half-wishing I had remembered to make the bed and clean up the bits of random mess scattered throughout my room before remembering that I didn't care what Alice thought. Alice stepped from behind me for a better look and I moved out of the way and opened my closet. Rifling through my hangers, I ignored Alice wandering my room and instead began making a small pile of clothes on the edge of my bed that I would be taking back with me to my grandparent's house.

She stared at the trophies I had accumulated on my dresser for volleyball and softball and the medals I had earned in track. Bits of charcoal and colored pencils littered my desk and my sketchpad had been carelessly tossed on top. I saw her fingers twitch out of the corner of my eye and knew she wanted to see my sketches. When I was younger, she had joked I had gotten my artistic talent from her genetics even though she had been adopted by my grandparents before I had even been born. Instead, she moved to the wall where I had numerous photographs hanging that were mostly done in black and white with random red frames scattered throughout. In fact, my entire room was in shades of red, black, and white. From my glossy black wood-frame bed, my white throw pillows, and my red shag rug. I had two plain white walls and had painted a red wall at the far end of the room and a black wall behind my bed. My dad hadn't said a word when I had decided on the make-over shortly after moving in but I loved it. It fit my personality well.

"It's not pink and princess themed anymore." Alice finally said after examining my room quietly. I twisted a part of my hair around my finger as I recalled that she had been the one to help me pick out my pink, ruffled canopy bedset and matching furniture years ago.

"I'm not really a pink kind of girl. I've grown up a lot." I said with a shrug. Alice stared at me for a long moment.

"I noticed." She murmured. She smoothed her skirt down and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Will you please talk to me?" she pleaded. I feigned disinterest and crossed my arms in front of my chest.

"We are talking." I mumbled. Alice rolled her eyes.

"No, talk to me about everything that is going on. I know you are not happy about having me as a guardian and I want to know why." She spoke softly but clearly, locking her gaze with my own. I shrugged a shoulder.

"Grandpa said it didn't matter because Dad already made his choice…even if it was the wrong one." I told her and watched her eyes dim.

"You would rather have Rosalie and Emmett as your guardians?" she asked in disbelief. I hesitated. Aunt Rose and I were hardly on the best of terms and they already had their hands full with their own two kids in addition to my little brother.

"I could always stay with Grandpa Carlisle and Grandma Esme too." I said nonchalantly as I began to pack away my clothes into a small suitcase I had found under my bed. She shook her head gently.

"I am sure that they would love to have you but I don't believe that they could handle a teenager. They've already raised three children and have four grandchildren. Do you really think that is fair?" she asked.

"What would you know about raising a teenager? You haven't been around in years." I retorted back, zipping up my suitcase and wheeling it near the door. Alice stood from her spot at the edge of the bed and she looked at me sternly.

"That's not fair, Scarlett. I have come out to visit but you avoid me when I do so."

"I'm busy. Between school, sports, art club, and my friends I am barely home as it is. Besides, you are barely here for a weekend and then you are gone again." I protested with my hands on my hips.

"My job is in New York City. I can't exactly take off for extended vacations but you know damn well anytime I had business in Seattle that I would either visit your father or drive to Forks to visit the rest of the family." I raised an eyebrow at her as I grabbed some toiletries and put them in a backpack.

"So now you're assuming that I have been avoiding you?" I asked. She shook her head in the negative.

"No, I know that you have been." She answered firmly. "And my talk with Rose confirms it." I scoffed.

"Rose is just pissed off at me. She'll get over it when she needs someone to babysit the twins." I found a few more items that I wanted to take with along with two pairs of my heels and my favorite pair of knee-high boots.

"Well you might want to make up with your Aunt Rose soon because we have to leave for New York on Monday morning no matter what. However, I do want to retain as much as your normal schedule as possible so I need you to work with me, Scarlett."

"So you are going to find me a new school, a new therapist, have me take all the same classes, get me signed up for volleyball and placed in an art club all by Monday?" I asked incredulously. Alice sighed, running a hand through her ruffled hair.

"I won't promise you anything but I will do my best to try. You have to work with me too, Scarlett." She said. I huffed and resumed packing.

"Whatever." I mumbled, refusing to look at her glare.

"Scarlett…" she warned but luckily my phone went off and began to play _Umbrella_ by Rihanna. I answered it as Alice continued to stare at me.

"What's up?' I asked.

"Dude! You told Tristan you were going to his party? Do you not remember what happened the last time?" I winced and pulled the phone away from my ear. My best friend, Piper, continued to rant away, unaware I no longer had the phone against my ear.

"Sorry, got to take this." I muttered to my Aunt.

"Scarlett, we weren't done talking." She protested but I had already slipped from the room and headed back downstairs, shutting the door behind me. I waited for Piper to finish her raving before I put the phone near my ear again.

"You know I missed most of that because you made me half-deaf, right" I answered drily. I could feel her scowling at me through the phone.

"I thought we weren't going to his parties anymore." She whined, refusing to apologize for blasting my ear drum.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to but seeing as it is my last one before I move, I didn't want to miss it." I explained, sitting at my dad's piano bench. I hesitantly stroked the keys while the line was quiet.

"You're seriously moving?" I heard her whispered reply.

"Yep." I popped the "p" glumly and hit the "C" note on the piano viciously.

"My Aunt wants me to move with her to New York City on Monday." I said quickly before Piper could reply.

"Let me get this straight. The Aunt that you don't talk to and can't stand wants you to move in with her all the way to the Big Apple in just five days?" she answered quietly.

"Apparently it was my dad's idea." I laughed hollowly but Piper head the pain in my voice.

"Why don't you come over and hang out here for a bit?" she finally answered.

"Can't. I have to get ready for the funeral on Thursday." I answered and winced as my voice cracked. Piper hummed in sympathy.

"Oh, hon, it's going to be okay. I'll be there for you every step of the way on Thursday and you can spend the weekend at my house before you leave. Your grandparents love me so I don't think it will be a problem." I smiled softly. Piper and I had been friends since elementary school and I was pretty sure she was the only one who knew how close I was to coming unglued.

"Thank Pipes." I croaked out.

"It's what friends are for. Good times and bad. Sickness and health. That kind of thing."

"Those are wedding vows, Piper." I said with a shake of my head and a small grin.

"I know. I got you to smile though, didn't I?" she said proudly. I nodded.

"Hey, I have to go. I'm grabbing a few more things before we head back out to Forks. I'll see you Thursday though, right?" I questioned, even though I knew she had already responded that she would be there, I needed that reassurance right now.

"I promise, Scar. I will see you in two days. And then I will be glued to your side until Monday. I promise on our friendship. Love you, girl." She quickly answered.

"I love you too, Pipes. Bye." I hung up the phone and sat it on top of the piano. Bowing my head, I allowed my fingers to drift over the keys and played a simply melody my father had taught me one rainy afternoon. Lost in thought and swirling with grief inside, I didn't notice the hand on my shoulder until I finished the song.

"When did your father teach you that song, Scarlett?" Alice whispered, as if a loud noise would break the eerie silence. I shrugged my shoulders, unintentionally shrugging her hand off.

"Last year." I mumbled. Alice made a small noise but before I could question it, she changed the subject.

"Scarlett…I really feel like we should have that talk. I don't want you avoiding me all week." She said softly, I felt her breath ruffle my hair and I hunched up my shoulders. My Aunt was a touchy-feely person and I knew it killed her that I refused to let her get close. I wanted her to feel some of the pain she had made me feel. It still felt like sharp razor blades under my skin even after all this time. I abruptly stood from the bench.

"Do we have to do it tonight?" I whined. "I want to shower and I'm starving. I can't remember the last time I ate and my hair is so greasy I want to just cut it all off." Alice looked at me sorrowfully with hurt in her dark blue eyes.

"No… it can wait, Scarlett. Why don't you go shower and I will load up the car, okay?" she whispered. I nodded once and folded my arms, brushing past her. Once I made it to the bathroom, I promptly locked the door and turned the water as hot as I could manage. I emptied my pockets onto the counter with a clatter. When steam had enveloped the bathroom, I pulled out my BIC lighter from the pile and grabbed a cigarette I had hidden in my make-up bag under the sink. Puffing quickly, I stripped and felt the water temperature. It burned my fingers and I gritted my teeth determinedly. Flicking the spent cigarette into the toilet, I stepped into the shower and allowed the hot water to scald my back in numerous, tiny stings. I lathered my head in shampoo and rinsed it out before adding conditioner and allowing my body to get used to the scalding-hot water. Rinsing my hair out, I watched the suds swirl down the drain and slowly sank to my knees and took a deep breath. Finally, I could feel my emotions building up inside and I choked on the huge lump in my throat.

Gasping for air, I felt the tears make their way unhurriedly down my cheeks and the pain on my back matched the pain in my heart. I sobbed everything out while kneeling in the bathtub, half-wishing the water would not go down the drain and drown me instead. I cried about everything. The pain of losing my dad. The heartache of knowing he was never coming back. The guilt I felt at leaving my little brother all alone in Forks while I had to fly across the States. The resentment I had used to cover up my hurt and lash out at everyone around me with over the past week. The anger I still had at Alice. The depression that I knew was enveloping me like a heavy blanket. I was such a wreck, emotionally, that I could no longer accurately pick out anymore individual emotions. They all swirled together and I screamed out my frustration while furiously wiping my face free of tears that would not stop falling. I gasped like a fish on land and began to cry harder as my whole body shook in grief. I heard pounding on the bathroom door but I ignored it and cranked the faucet harder to the left. I hissed at the contact of the boiling-hot water on my skin and knew I would have burn marks to show for it if I ever left the comfort of the bathtub. I bowed my head and simply let it all out.

Abruptly, the water turned ice-cold and I gasped and shivered at the sudden change in water temperature before it shut off and the only noise in the bathroom came from me. I opened my swollen eyes and saw my Aunt Alice gazing at me, tears filling her own blue eyes. Wordlessly, she held a towel out and I slowly climbed to my feet. I allowed her to wrap the towel around me and I didn't move as she hugged me fiercely.

"I'm so sorry, baby doll. So so sorry that you are hurting." She whispered into my ear. I didn't move away and she slowly led me back to my bedroom and sat me gently down on the edge of my bed. Randomly opening up my dresser drawers, she found a pair of black sweats, a pair of long black socks, my favorite bra, a purple long-sleeved shirt, and a pair of underwear. Alice sat the clothes next to me and then hunted around my vanity for my hairbrush. I hadn't moved from my spot once she returned and she sighed heavily before kneeling in front of me.

"You need to get dressed, baby doll. I'll brush your hair afterwards and then we will head back to Forks." I nodded after opening my mouth to speak and only a croak came out. She tucked my sopping wet hair behind my ear and gave me a small, pained smile.

"I'll be right back. Please get dressed while I'm gone." Alice left the room and carefully shut the door behind her. Mechanically, I dropped the towel and changed into the clothes she had put out for me. I noticed the sweats she had grabbed were from American Eagle and the shirt came from Old Navy. It seemed in her hurry to grab something for me to wear, my Aunt had managed to pick out clothes for me that she would never consider buying in the first place as she believed the best clothes only came from designer wear or her own brand. Once I had finished getting dressed, I opened the door and found her leaning against the wall opposite of my door, furiously texting away on my Iphone. She eyed me up and down and nodded once, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth as she pocketed her cell phone and re-entered my bedroom.

"Here, let me help you." She said softly and led me back to the edge of my bed. Sitting in the middle of it, she gestured for me to sit in front of her and with a heavy sigh I did as Alice requested. She picked up the discarded brush and ran it carefully through my hair as I picked at a stray thread in my blanket. Once my hair was free of tangles and knots, she paused and carefully wrapped me in a hug from behind.

"You may not believe me and that's okay but I love you so much and I will always be here for you, Scarlett." I hummed a response but allowed the contact to continue. I hadn't realized my body had been craving comfort this whole week and even though I was still so angry at her, I wanted to feel loved. We sat that way for a while before her phone buzzed in her pocket. Slowly extracting her hands from around me she pulled the phone out of her pocket and read the text.

"Your brother wants us to grab an extra game controller, his green headphones, and a bag of almond M&M's." she read it out loud and showed me the text as well.

"His controller is next to his Xbox and the headphones are on his bedside table in his room. The candy we can get at the gas station at the corner." I replied hoarsely. Alice texted back and slipped the phone back into her coat pocket. She slipped out from behind me and stood next to the bed.

"We need to get going, baby doll." She murmured, staring down at me with sympathy. I frowned but clambered much less gracefully from the bed. I pulled my rain boots back on and grabbed my jacket before I went into the bathroom to grab my stuff as Alice went into my brother's room. My charger, phone, wallet, and earbuds were sitting in a neat pile next to the double sink but my lighter was missing. Pausing momentarily, I stuffed everything into my sweats' pockets and followed my Aunt. She was just leaving Mason's room with the items he requested and we both quietly walked downstairs, switching off lights as we did so.

"Everything is already in the car, Scarlett, and it finally stopped raining." Alice told me as I grabbed my keys from the bowl and locked the front door behind me. I crawled into the front seat and thrust my hands in front of the heater vents again, rubbing them swiftly. Alice put my brother's things in the center console and pulled out of the driveway. I gave her directions to the gas station and offered to go inside to buy the candy but Alice politely refused my offer. She was gone only a few minutes and returned with the candy as well as a bottle of water which she offered to me and I accepted gratefully. I hadn't realized how parched I was from my crying fit earlier but I managed to drain half the bottle without trying. I helped navigate out of Seattle and once we hit the highway, I fell back into companionable silence as Alice allowed Stevie Nicks to softly play on the car's stereo.

I must have dozed off because when I opened my eyes we were back at my grandparent's house in Forks. I went to open my door but Alice called me softly. Slowly, I turned towards her, one hand still on the door handle. She reached into her pocket, pulled out my lighter, and twirled it between her fingers.

"This is mine now. I will give you one last warning. Go find all the cigarettes you stashed around this house and destroy them. If I or Jasper catch you with another lighter or cigarette I can promise you now, that you won't like the consequences." I scowled back at her but she simply raised an eyebrow back at me.

"You're not my guardian yet, Aunt Alice." I ground out. She stared back at me with hurt in her cerulean eyes that I watched instantaneously harden in anger.

"Maybe not, but I could always go inside and tell Esme that I caught you smoking twice today and that you have cigarettes stashed around her house. I am sure your grandmother would love to know what exactly your hobbies entail." She said it matter-of-factly but we both knew she had called my bluff. Esme would be disappointed in me and I would have to withstand a lecture from her on the dangers of smoking as well as from my grandfather. Not to mention, Aunt Rosalie and Uncle Emmett would be pissed as well.

"Fine!" I exclaimed and pushed myself out of the car, slamming the door in my anger. I stomped up the steps and opened the front door making sure to slam that one as well. I avoided the rest of my family and stomped up the stairs to the guest bedroom that I used whenever I spent the night. I could hear Alice enter the house and begin speaking to someone but I couldn't make out anything besides the tone. I locked the door and kicked it for good measure. I glared around the room and began searching my favorite hiding places. Once I had managed to find six cigs scattered around the room as well as half a pack I had placed inside my VCR/DVD combo the last time I had spent the weekend here, I heard a sharp knock on my door.

"Who is it?" I asked gruffly.

"Your favorite Aunt. Now open up." Rosalie called out impatiently from the hallway. I scowled and shoved the cigs into my pocket before opening the door. She was holding a tray of food that including a plate of lasagna, a small bowl of salad, a slice of garlic bread, and a can of Dr. Pepper. She brushed past me and sat the tray down on the bedside table.

"Your Aunt Alice said that you wanted to be alone for a while but you hadn't eaten yet. I don't care if you eat up here or not but you can bring the tray down when you're done." She said it quickly as if it pained her before staring into my face.

"Were you crying earlier?" she asked. I clenched my jaw, knowing she would see through a lie.

"Yes." I said shortly, hoping she would drop it. Rosalie stared at me for a long moment but I couldn't read her face.

"At least your Aunt Alice was there to comfort you when you finally broke down." Was all that she said before she quickly left the room. I glared at her retreating back and then shut the door behind her. I turned the T.V. on and Big Bang Theory's opening theme song began to play. Leaving it on simply for background noise, I took a step towards my delicious smelling dinner.

As hungry as I was, I only managed a handful of bites before feeling like I was going to get sick. Not eating regularly the past week had screwed up my stomach and I tended to simply snack instead of eating heavy meals. Once I had managed as much as I could, I picked up the tray and left my room. Skirting around the living room where I could hear most of my family congregated at, I entered the empty kitchen and scraped the rest of my food into the trash before loading the dishes into the dishwasher. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck raise up and I looked out of the corner of my eye towards the doorway to see Jasper leaning against it. Once he realized I had caught him, he entered the kitchen and sat on one of the barstools. We stared at each other but said nothing and I was unable to hold his gaze.

"I spoke with Alice." He simply said, finally breaking the silence.

"Okay." I muttered. He raised both eyebrows and placed a hand onto the counter, palm side up and open. I noticed he had a few scars on his hands and some ran up his arms where he had rolled up the sleeves of his button-up shirt.

"Something you would like to give me?" He asked. I scowled before reaching into my pocket and pulling out the cigarettes, practically throwing them into his waiting hand.

"You sure that is all of them?" he said sternly. I sighed and ran a hand through my hair.

"Yes." I said, already wishing this conversation was over.

"Alright then. Remember what your Aunt said. If she or I catch you with them or a lighter again then I am certain you will not like the punishment." I rolled my eyes and his own eyes narrowed at my response but he said nothing further.

"Can I go now?" I asked quickly and when he inclined his head, I rushed from the kitchen and back to the safety of my bedroom. Collapsing on the bed, I hugged a pillow to my chest and willed my body to finally relax after the long, stressful day. I was so emotionally drained and exhausted that I barely noticed when someone entered my room and turned off the T.V. They grabbed a throw blanket from the edge of the bed and covered me with it before bending down and kissing my temple.

"Goodnight, baby doll. Sweet dreams." The voice said softly before it was a gone and my room became shrouded in darkness once the door was carefully shut. I released a deep breath that I hadn't realized I had been holding and allowed my body to finally drift off into a dreamless sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: Obligatory apology note as real life got in the way and threw me for a loop every time I sat down to type out a chapter. Anyway, here is the third chapter of SIWS and I have almost finished the fourth. Until next time. -B**

" **Our pleasures are shallow; our sorrows are deep"**

When I woke up the next morning, I wished more than anything that I could just fall back asleep and spend the rest of the day hidden from the world under my comforter. After my break down where Alice comforted me and then later my storm out when she tried to discipline me, the last thing I wanted to do was to go downstairs and face her. I tried snuggling back into my comforter but I really had to pee and my body refused to allow me to sleep anymore. Groaning, I sat up and reached for my cell to check the time. It was 7:40am and I sighed as I literally rolled out of bed. My suitcase was next to the door and I pulled out some clothes before going into the hall bathroom to get ready for the day. I had just finished applying my eyeliner when the bathroom door began to shake as someone banged on it.

"Shake a leg, Red!" Breakfast is ready!" My Uncle Emmett rapped a few more times on the door before stomping down the hall to make sure my brother and cousins were awake as well. I rolled my eyes and pulled my hair up into a messy bun before leaving the bathroom and heading downstairs. As I entered the kitchen, I was engulfed in a hug by my grandmother.

"Are you feeling a bit better, Scarlett?" she whispered into my ear. I sighed heavily and hugged her back.

"Not really." I whispered back and hung my head as her eyes dimmed and she held me tighter. I peered over her shoulder and saw Alice staring at me with a small smile on her face. She and my Aunt Rosalie had both been carrying breakfast dishes into the adjoining dining room but when I had entered the room, Alice had put hers back on the counter and looked like she was debating walking over and hugging me as well. Even though she had been there for me last night, I found that now that I was no longer a sobbing mess that I no longer wanted to be comforted by her. It still hurt to even look at her. My pain was buried so deep that I did not have a clue how to make the hurt stop or even if I would feel like myself without it.

Reluctantly, I pulled away from my grandmother's grasp and headed into the dining room, snagging an apple from the bowl by the counter as I did so. I brushed past Alice but didn't stop even when I heard her begin to say my name. My brother was already sitting at the table, thumbs moving furiously on his PSP. Normally, he was not allowed to have it during meal times but with all the chaos going on, I knew he was taking advantage of the lack of rules. My two cousins rushed in through the other doorway, nearly running into me in their mad dash to make it to their seats. I took my seat between my brother and the head of the table and started crunching my Honeycrisp apple. They were my favorite and my grandmother always made sure to have them around when I visited. Soon, we were joined in the dining room by the rest of our family. Alice tried to catch my eye before she sat down but I ignored her and tried to get my brother to put away his game. It was not until I threatened to remove the battery did he reluctantly put it down next to his plate and scowled at me the rest of breakfast. My grandmother loved to cook and this morning was no exception. French toast with syrup and powdered sugar, strips of bacon, a basket of warm biscuits with sausage gravy as a side, scrambled eggs with just a dash of spices, jugs of coffee, orange juice, and milk, and bowls of cut-up cantaloupe chunks and strawberries all competed for space around the 12-seat dining table.

After my grandfather delivered a short grace, the meal was subdued as everyone placed food on their plates and began to eat. The twins were the loudest and were busy telling anyone who would listen about how they wanted to catch frogs after breakfast. Grandpa Carlisle gave them a few ideas about where to find them near the house and even offered to find the net in the garage when he was done eating. I pushed the eggs around my plate and ignored the chatter around me until someone called my name.

"Scarlett, have you tried some of your grandmother's French toast yet? It's delicious." Aunt Alice asked me as Uncle Emmett nodded enthusiastically as he stuck an entire piece in his mouth. I shook my head as the twins roared in laughter at their father's antics and Aunt Rosalie simply rolled her eyes fondly at her husband.

"No, thank you. I'm actually full." I said, placing my napkin on my plate and standing from my seat. Alice narrowed her eyes at my covered plate.

"You barely touched your food." She stated. The chatter around the table ceased as all eyes followed the two of us. I blushed but managed to shrug a shoulder and picked up my plate and glass to carry it into the kitchen.

"You gave me a large serving of lasagna last night. I was not that hungry to begin with." I called over my shoulder as I left the dining room.

"She wasn't excused yet. We can't leave the table until we are excused." Complained my young cousin, Henry but my Uncle simply shushed him.

"She ate an apple. Scarlett doesn't like breakfast." I heard my brother speak and smiled as I listened to him defend me even though he was still annoyed at me. I scraped my still full plate in the garbage, drank the rest of my orange juice, and placed my dishes in the dishwasher. Once that was done, I ducked out of the kitchen and went upstairs to grab my phone.

 _Hey girl, Rise and shine. –Piper_

 _Call me when you wake up. I have soccer practice at 8am but my mom said I could skip it. –Piper_

 _I'm here if you want to talk. My mom offered to let me have the car so I can come by tonight instead of in the morning. Let me know what you would like to do. Better to ask forgiveness than permission right? Lol. –Piper_

 _Your phone better be off and you're just too busy to get ahold of your best friend who has been using up her texting plan to talk to you. Love ya girl. –Piper_

I smiled softly. Piper had promised to message me all day and so far was holding true to her word.

 _I'm here. Sorry, family breakfast. If you could come over tonight that would be great and I would be thankful. I'll ask permission when I go back downstairs. –Scarlett_

I was in the middle of scrolling Instagram and waiting for Piper to text me back when there was a sharp knock at my door. Dreading to look, I let out a sigh of relief to see that it was only my Aunt Rosalie standing at the open door.

"Can I help you?" I asked, making sure to keep any attitude or sarcasm out of my voice. She took a step inside and crossed her arms over her chest.

"I heard that you allowed Alice to comfort you after your breakdown last night." She said bluntly. I sighed and tossed my phone on the bed. I opened my mouth to bite off a retort but her eyebrow raise caused me to close it instead. Once she knew that I was not going to say anything, she took two steps forward and hugged me tightly.

"I am so proud of you." She whispered into my ear. I could only nod as my head rested on the edge of her collarbone. After a few minutes of simply holding me, she let go and led me to sit on the edge of the bed with her. I cleared my throat and avoided looking at her as I asked a question.

"Why are you proud of me, Aunt Rose?" I mumbled at the carpet. I didn't have to look at her to know that she was scowling at me.

"Are you kidding? You're letting someone in past all of your defenses, Scarlett." I shifted uncomfortably as I continued to listen.

"You and I are so much alike that I am surprised neither one of us have killed each other yet. You have this idea in your head that crying makes you weak. That you have to hide what you are feeling in order to be strong." I took a deep, shuddering breath and clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. I still felt raw and numb from sobbing last night and I refused to cry again in front of someone. Old habits were hard to break and I focused on the pain until I was able to control and calm myself.

"I'm fine, Aunt Rose." I muttered, hoping she would leave me be. She bumped my shoulder with her own.

"I just want to look out for you. I know you would rather bury it in the past but I still remember everything that happened two years ago and I refuse to allow you to revert back to that person again. We almost lost you once. I won't go through that again." She whispered the last words and I hesitantly shifted closer to her so that she was holding me.

"I'll be okay. I'm not that person anymore, I promise." I whispered into her chest. She rested her head on top of mine until a knock on the door startled the both of us.

"Am I interrupting?" Alice asked, looking at us from underneath her eyelashes. I sighed but shook my head in the negative. She smiled and joined both of us on my bed. Alice tapped my thigh and handed me a small bowl of yogurt with almond slices and cut up strawberries on top.

"You have been up here for over an hour. I'm sure you must be hungry by now." She said with a soft smile as she handed me my spoon. I took the bowl and mumbled my thanks before looking at my Aunt Rosalie pleadingly. She brushed my forehead with a kiss before reaching for the T.V. remote and flipping through the channels before settling on How I Met Your Mother.

"Alice and I just want to catch up on this episode. Then, we can find something on Netflix or Hulu to watch as well."

"But it's a re-run." I protested, hoping that the two of them would leave the room. Neither of them budged. Instead they made themselves more comfortable at the foot of the Queen-sized bed and proceeded to watch the show.

"There are other televisions in this house, you know. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are more T.V's than people in this house." I stated as sarcastically as I could manage, sticking a spoonful of yogurt into my mouth. Rosalie nudged me with her foot but otherwise they both ignored me. I sighed deeply to let them know I was irritated and resigned myself to watch the show. By the time it had ended twenty minutes later, I had managed to eat almost the entire bowl of yogurt. I placed the bowl on the nightstand and wiggled in between the two of them, grabbing my Blu-ray remote and turning on Netflix.

"Not hungry, huh." Rose stated matter-of-factly without looking away from the screen. I blushed in embarrassment and quickly chose a movie. When Alice made to leave the bed, I surprised the both of us by clutching the hem of her shirt, holding her in place.

"Please stay. Both of you." I whispered to the bedspread. I felt them snuggle closer to me as I continued to pick out the abstract thread pattern. I propped up my chin with the cup of my hand and focused on the television as _Silver Linings Playbook_ began. Jennifer Lawrence must have good genes as she had barely aged even after all this time. I must have dozed off because when I remembered looking at the screen again, she and Bradley Cooper were already practicing their dance sequence. My phone vibrated and Alice handed it to me as she was closer. I unlocked the screen and checked my messages.

 _Hey girl. Sounds like a plan. I'll be there by 3. Love ya!–Piper_

I let out a short laugh and nudged my Aunt Rosalie with my shoulder.

"Is it okay if Piper spends the night tonight instead of tomorrow? I was already spending the night with her on Saturday so I can just ride back with her then." My Aunt raised her eyebrows.

"I thought she was spending the night on Thursday night and you were spending the night Friday?" she asked. I refrained from rolling my eyes. If I pissed her off she would say no just to annoy me.

"Yes, but Piper asked if she could spend the night tonight so that she would be there for me all day tomorrow and Nana already said she could spend the night on Thursday so I don't feel it is that big of a deal." I said, shrugging one shoulder for emphasis.

"Our flight is Monday morning, Scarlett. That doesn't leave you a lot of time to pack." Alice interjected. I huffed out a breath and ran my fingers through my hair.

"I need her here though. Especially if I have to abandon my friends that I have known practically my whole life come next week." I said, glaring at her to protest. Alice hung her head and I felt my Aunt Rose stiffen beside me.

"If you want your friends over, I suggest you knock off the attitude." She warned in that frosty tone of hers. I scowled at her but bit my tongue. I would need Piper to get through the day tomorrow and she couldn't be there for me if I messed up. I stared at the stitching in the comforter.

"I'm sorry." I muttered to both of my aunts, keeping my gaze on the stitching of the comforter underneath me. Alice hummed next to me but otherwise the room was quiet for the next few minutes as we all gathered our thoughts.

"What if on Friday I spent the afternoon in Seattle with Piper and we boxed up my room that day? Her parents only live two blocks away from my house and her older brother has a truck we could borrow." I asked hesitantly, trying to compromise. I was still getting used to having to ask to do things. My father worked so much that we frequently only left notes for the other one to find at our old house. Rosalie looked over at Alice and they had a silent conversation over my head before agreeing.

"That could work so long as you make sure to get your room packed that day. Use the suitcases in the attic for the stuff that you are bringing with you on the plane. Anything you want shipped to New York, will have to be brought back to your grandparent's house on Saturday." Rosalie said.

"Jasper and I packed light for this trip so you can pack an extra suitcase if you need to. We won't use it otherwise, Scarlett." Alice interjected as she tried to put her arm around my shoulder. I gently shrugged it off and rolled off the bed. Ignoring her hurt look, I held up my phone.

"Thank you again. I'm just going to call Piper really quick and tell her what the plans are." I gave both my Aunts a tight, fake smile before I left the room and dialed the familiar number.

" _Finally! I was really getting worried about you, babe. We never go that long without talking unless we are fighting."_ I allowed a real smile to grace my face for a moment as I let my best friend ramble on.

"Sorry, just busy with everything going on. Aunt Rosalie agreed to letting you stay tonight and tomorrow night by the way." I replied while making my way down the stairs.

" _Of course she did because she likes me better."_ I could feel Piper's smug grin across the phone and affectionately rolled my eyes.

"Yes, I am sure that was the reason she agreed." I said sarcastically.

" _I'm not the one that crashed her beloved 1978 ZZL Camaro so of course she still likes me best."_ Piper teased back.

"1969 ZL1 Camaro." I instantly corrected. Heaven knows how many times it was screamed at me along with all the features it possessed over the past two years.

" _Yeah, yeah, yeah. I should be there in about an hour, okay? Love you!"_ I repeated the sentiment before hanging up the phone. I had made it into the den where my brother was playing Call of Duty again. Wincing at the noise, I watched my little brother play for a few minutes before I grabbed a controller and joined in.

"So how are you feeling about all of this?" I asked softly. Mason shrugged a shoulder.

"Uncle Emmett lets me play video games a lot more than Dad did...but I miss Dad." He said back as he proceeded to throw a frag grenade at my on-screen character. I nudged his shoulder and gave up trying to kill him, focusing on staying alive instead.

"Did he tell you that I have to leave next week?" I asked, ready for him to explode into a melt-down. Mason sighed heavily.

"Yes, but you will Skype, call, and text me all the time. You are not leaving forever and your next break from school is in six weeks and you will come back here to visit me." He stated matter-of-factly. I took my eyes off the screen and winced as he killed me yet again.

"How do you know where I am going to school before I do?" I asked. Mason shrugged again.

"It was after you got home last night. I had my headphones in but my Ipod died. I forgot to take them off and then Aunt Alice mentioned where she was enrolling you to Grandpa Carlisle and Nana Esme." He scowled and paused the game, leveling me with a look of irritation.

"If you're not going to play then can you leave? I want to play online." I held up my hands in surrender and signed out of the game.

"Do you remember what the school is called?" I asked him. Mason shrugged his shoulders, his gaze already hyper-focused on the screen.

"I only have twenty more minutes to play. Ask me later." He said without looking at me. I ruffled his hair before standing and wandering into the kitchen. I heard hushed whispering before I entered the room and the conversation ceased once I did so. Nana Esme, Aunt Alice, and Jasper all stood around the kitchen and from their expressions I would hazard a guess that they had been arguing about something. I raised my eyebrow at the noticeable tension but otherwise ignored the three of them and went to the fridge for a glass of water which I quickly finished.

"Hey Grandma, Aunt Rose said it was okay for Piper to spend the night tonight too and she should be here by three this afternoon. When she gets here do you mind if she and I walked around Forks and grabbed food?" I noticed Jasper staring pointedly at me while Alice and Esme both had distressed looks on their faces.

"Well are you sure that your Aunt Rosalie agreed to having Piper over an extra night, Scar?" she asked, wiping her hands on a dish towel. I nodded and jerked my thumb at my aunt.

"Alice was there too and heard her say that it was okay if you don't believe me." Jasper scowled but Alice simply touched his arm as she continued to stare at me.

"Rose did agree that her friend could stay tonight as well." She finally told my grandmother who nodded.

"Well if both of your Aunts allowed it then I do not see a problem with it. As for going into Forks I don't mind but you both need to be back by seven at the latest." Esme made sure to enunciate the word "Aunts" in her sentence, but I paid it no mind as I gave my grandmother a half-smile and allowed her to hug me. Glancing at the clock, I noted the time. Just a little under an hour until Piper would get here. After a minute or so of allowing my grandmother to try and comfort me, I gently eased out of the hug.

"Are you hungry, Scarlett?" Alice asked as I went to leave the kitchen through the back door. I shook my head and tried to ignore her protests as I made to leave the room. Emmett stood in the doorway, eating a bag of Doritos and accidently blocking my exit.

"Excuse me." I muttered, trying to walk around him. The pause, however, had given Alice enough time to reach me from across the room and she lightly placed her fingers on my upper arm. Leaning in close to my ear, she made sure to whisper so that no one else could hear our conversation.

"Please, you need to eat something. I don't care what it is but you are not leaving this room until I see you finish something." I groaned and flinched away from her contact. Scowling, I made my way to the counter and collapsed onto one of the barstools. I propped my head up with a hand under my chin and directed my angry gaze at my least favorite aunt.

"So what are you planning on forcing me to have?" I taunted. Jasper shook his head and Alice took a deep breath and pinched her nose between her thumb and index finger.

"Hey, Jasper, Mom, why don't we go grab the boys and take them out for pizza? I know Henry and Nick are always up for that. They take after me when it comes to food." Emmett winked and ushered Nana Esme and Jasper out of the kitchen, leaving Alice and I to continue our battle of wills without an audience. I drummed my fingers on the edge of the counter when it became obvious that neither one of us would be saying something. Alice sighed again and walked over to the fridge before opening it and peering inside.

"I don't know why you have to make everything such a big deal." I muttered and Alice's head shot around the door and stared at me incredulously.

"You're kidding me, right?" she deadpanned. I ran a hand through my hair and slumped further in my seat.

"You act like I have an eating disorder or something." I shot back, "Maybe I'm just grieving and don't feel like eating right now." Alice shut the fridge door and walked towards me, keeping the counter in between the two of us. I stared at her face but when I saw sympathy in her dark blue eyes, I looked down at the granite counter top instead.

"Scarlett, how many therapist appointments have you missed over the past few weeks?" she asked softly.

"Five." I eventually said, knowing that she had to already know the answer or be close to it. She reached across the counter and grabbed my hand, giving it a light squeeze.

"I know that this has been extremely stressful for you but you can't skip out on your appointments. They were put in place to help you thrive, baby girl." I squirmed but allowed her to continue to hold my hand. After a few minutes of silence, I finally looked up at her.

"Can I have a grilled cheese and fried green tomatoes?" I asked. Alice's eyes became bright with unshed tears but she nodded and gave my hand another squeeze before releasing it. As Alice puttered around the kitchen making my lunch I pulled my phone out again.

 _Almost there. Can't wait to see you! -Piper_

I typed out a response and continued playing around on my phone until a plate slid in front of me. A grilled cheese sandwich with bacon and avocado had been sliced into two triangles while a handful of fried green tomatoes sat on the side with a cup of zesty ranch to dip them in was also on the plate.

"Thank you." I replied automatically and she squeezed my shoulder lightly before busying herself with cleaning up the kitchen. I managed half the sandwich and ate a few tomatoes before the back door opened and my best friend came inside, leaving a puddle of water on the tile. Kicking off her shoes, she clambered onto the barstool next to me and stole one of my tomatoes, popping it into her mouth whole, smirking at me with her dark brown eyes full of mischief. I shook my head at her and pushed the plate closer to her so that she could grab another. Once she finished chewing she groaned theatrically.

"Why do we have to live in the state of constant rain and dampness? It is so depressing to see dark clouds all the time. I mean the sunshine state is only two states away but we live in the state of constant darkness. Horror movies should only be filmed in Washington; we have the atmosphere for it." I shrugged and half-tuned her out as she continued to berate the weather and steal my food. I moved to get up from the counter when the clearing of Alice's throat stopped me. She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the remaining half of my sandwich left.

"Finish it." She stated matter-of-factly as she continued to dry the dishes. I scowled but slowly sat back down in my seat. Piper looked wide-eyed between the two of us as I slowly took another bite of my food. Once Alice had turned back to the sink, I bolted out of my chair with Piper right behind me. I flew through the kitchen and opened the back door.

"Bye Alice, we will be back by seven!" I called out to my aunt who had barely managed to turn all the way around from doing the dishes. I ran across the still-wet driveway and the two of us climbed into Piper's mom's car and raced out of the driveway. Looking out the rearview mirror, I saw Alice standing in the doorway of the back door, a dish towel in one hand and her cell phone in the other. I slumped in my seat as Piper eased down the driveway and turned on the main road towards Forks.

"She's going to kill me for that." I muttered. Piper shrugged one shoulder as she played with the radio.

"Well we are already out of the house so we have a few hours for her to calm down before we come back." She said calmly. As the youngest of four children she was used to be getting into trouble. I swatted her hand away from the radio.

"Both hands on the wheel and eyes on the road." I instructed as I flipped through stations. Piper snorted but did as I asked.

"I'm a great driver, Scarlett." She protested as I settled on some classical music.

"So was my dad." I shot back between gritted teeth. Piper winced and opened her mouth to apologize but I shook my head, unwilling to talk about it further. We drove around for a bit before stopping behind a gas station. Piper dashed inside and came out with two large drinks, a bag of sour gummy worms, and a can of pizza Pringles. I opened her dash and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. Lighting two, I passed her one before pulling my feet up onto the dash and taking a deep drag of mine.

"Alice made me give her all my cigarettes yesterday. I haven't had one in over a day." I complained. Piper whistled low.

"You have been smoking on and off for two years and the Aunt that you never see is the one that finally catches you? Tough break." She nudged my shoulder with hers as we both sat and quietly smoked, sipping on our drinks.

"I can't believe I bury my father tomorrow and pack up to leave thousands of miles in just a few days. It feels so surreal, like it isn't happening to me but someone else that resembles me…does that make sense?" I pondered out loud. Piper hummed but simply allowed me to talk without any judgement. I flicked the spent cigarette out the window and lit up another one.

"So we are still going to Tristan's party this weekend. Even with everything going on, babe?" Piper cautiously asked me. I nodded firmly.

"Believe me, I could use a drink or several bottles of liquor at this point. I just want to get completely black out drunk and drown my sorrows for a bit." Piper bit her lip and threw her butt out the window but refrained from lighting another, grabbing the bag of candy instead.

"What" I asked gruffly. She bit her lip again before answering.

"Tristan likes you a lot and with the way you're talking I just don't want you to get too carried away and regret anything." She whispered, squeezing my knee. I sighed and took another drag, running my other hand through my long hair.

"I don't plan on sleeping with him at the party but if it happens it happens. Besides, I will have my best friend attached to my hip babysitting me all night, right?" I asked lightly but pleaded with my eyes for her not to leave me alone. She smiled and nodded slightly.

"I'll stay so close to you that Tristan will think we are Siamese twins. Let's see what that does for little Tristan." She wiggled her eyebrows comically as she bit the head off of one of the worms and I laughed. She grinned back before sobering up.

"I still can't believe you will be in NYC come Monday." She quickly wiped away a tear as we shared watery smiles.

"I know but I promise to call and text and Skype. Plus, I will be back during break and I'm sure if I beg enough I can convince Alice to let you come stay the weekend with me and show you around New York." I tried to cheer us both up with that idea. Piper wiped away another tear and grinned back at me.

"You better bitch. I want to see all the sights and sounds of New York. Let's check out the boroughs, Madison Square Garden, Times Square, Broadway, and Ellis Island." She said in a horrible New York accent. I laughed again and nudged her before settling back in my seat. I was perfectly content to spend the rest of the time we had in a car with my best friend; laughing at stupid jokes, listening to the rain, and comforting each other the best way we knew how.


End file.
